Case Study on Climate Change Education in Pre-service Teachers -with the Focus on Earth Hour Activities-

The purpose of study is to introduce a case in which education for climate action, the 13th goal of sustainable development, is established in universities through climate change classes opened in the Earth Science education department of the college of education. Climate change education, including earth hour activities, was conducted in the Inquiry of climate change education subject in the first-year major elective area. Fifty-three pre-service earth science teachers participated in a climate change class. In this study, lectures on 12 topics were conducted, and group activities such as Earth Calendar, Earth Hour, Joobging Project, and Campus Environmental Maps were conducted in parallel. Pre-service teachers recognize climate change in connection with our daily lives, but focused on artificial factors rather than natural factors. They responded positively to the climate change class and evaluated the items of interest, excitement, and satisfaction highly. In addition, the applicability of earth hour activities was confirmed as an example of climate change education programs. It provided pre-service teachers with the experience of participating in international environmental campaigns as global citizens. Climate change curriculum is needed not only in high schools but also in universities, especially in the college of education. Research on developing and implementing climate change education programs centered on universities must be sustainable.